Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressing the new Cabinet at a meeting held in the Maximos Mansion on Saturday, said that he chose this first meeting after the elections to coincide with the government reshuffle “in order to send an overall message of dynamic restart because June 9 was a landmark in our up to date course but also a new start for the next three years of our term” .
“Despite the given difficulties of this pre-election battle – and thanking you all for the fight you fought -, the next day finds our party first and with a strength greater than the sum of our next two opponents, but it also finds Greece being a European stability pillar. Let’s not forget that countries such as France and Germany are already facing serious internal turmoil, which I believe strengthens our own role in the new European reality”, continued the Prime Minister and noted: Of course, our percentages did not reach the goal we had set. We are well aware that many citizens who supported us in the national elections of May and June 2023 chose to abstain. However, they did not choose – and I must emphasise this – to support the opposition parties. On the contrary, I would say that it is the positions of SYRIZA and PASOK that were essentially condemned.”
“However” he underlined “we must not forget that many of our fellow citizens, in their own way, sent us a message. They asked us for more work and less mistakes, greater results and less delay, in a course without hypocritical turns to the right, to the left or to the center, with a direction only forward”.
Mitsotakis also underlined “so, these dispositions will continue to be our compasses in our political work, but, be careful, in our daily behaviour as well, I think with aspirations which are compatible with the fresh orders of the citizens. So the tackling of the hike in prices, a more efficient state, restructuring the primary sector, better health and education, I would say are now becoming our more focused priorities. Without, however, having first and second gear portfolios or increasing our speed in all fields. No portfolio is more important than another. Each citizen considers his own problem as his own priority – we must never forget this – and this is what we are called to serve.”
The prime minister also referred to the government reshuffle he announced on Friday. “Regarding the ministerial structure now, allow me two brief remarks: its composition is always determined based on needs. The change of people means nothing more than our trying to become more productive all the time in our work, which I think you can see even today, seeing other colleagues who used to be members of the Council of Ministers coming back, others taking on different responsibilities.
And secondly, deep organisational changes in the structure of the Ministries and the composition of the government, yes, they can bear fruit, but only when they are mature. That is why, even though I accepted such proposals for mergers and changes, I decided that these are not of the moment, because such a thing requires a lot of study and time to assimilate these changes.
“Dedication and hard work are always key to our success. You know very well that they are indicators for which I will not hide that I will be strict, but even stricter , I would say – will be the citizens who judge us. I think teamwork has always been something that has characterised us and it is very important to preserve it.”
“So, we have the opportunity to turn even more powerfully against the problems, which are also our real opponents. By following this path, our reforms will gain real meaning” the premier said addressing the cabinet. “Reforms means an imprint on everyday life, convincing even the suspicious citizens of our intentions, while at the same time they will build this strong Greece, which we want, in 2027. A strong homeland, in the “heart” of Europe, with a different state, a essentially upgraded health, an economy in which unemployment will continue to fall and wages will continue to rise” he added.
Mitsotakis also referred to the new five-year round that opened after the European elections in Europe: “And of course, at the same time, our actions in Europe will also begin, in a new five-year term, in which many things will be determined as the competitiveness of the European economy, the continuation of a strict but fair immigration policy and the support of Greek businesses in this constantly changing environment.
The adaptation of the Common Agricultural Policy to the data of the climate crisis on the one hand, but also the need to support the income of our farmers, on the other, the demographic problem and the single defence policy are challenges that will occupy us as a whole. We have already discussed with our new group of MEPs their mode of operation. It is important to better organise their coordination with all Ministries.
I will be, after the Peace Summit which is being held for Ukraine, in Brussels and my hope is that, as one of the two negotiators on behalf of the European People’s Party, we will be able to agree on the distribution of positions of responsibility in the leadership of European pyramid quickly.
I think this will remove a bit of uncertainty, which I think is not good for Europe as a whole, so that at least we will have the vote for the new President of the European Commission – our proposal will be Ursula von der Leyen and I believe she will be voted by the Parliament-, that this vote be completed before the end of July”.
Concluding his address Mitsotakis underlined “As for us, we continue our work with the agenda of the Council of Ministers, as planned. We will once again state the obvious, that we are all judged by the result.
(amna.gr)
